An increasing need exists for reducing the size and increasing the performance of integrated circuit components. One common part of the integrated circuit components, for example planar capacitor components, includes a dielectric layer that is formed from a composition comprising a dielectric functional filler material and a polymer. Typically, using a dielectric functional filler material having a high dielectric constant, K, in a capacitor allows for storage of the same amount of electrical charge for a given thickness of the dielectric layer in a reduced capacitor area versus that containing no filler.
Various types of dielectric layers are currently being used in the processing of circuit board capacitors, however, the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer is limited and problems exist in regard to certain electrical properties, such as low dielectric withstanding voltage and high leakage current. Both of these problems limit the capability of the final capacitor and, in many cases, limit the ability to decrease the thickness of the dielectric layer within the capacitor to the desired level.
FIG. 1 is a cross section view of a portion of a printed circuit board 25 having SMT capacitors 50 connected to an IC device 30 to form a prior art printed circuit board 25. The signal line carrying the signal to the IC 30 is connected to a circuit trace 60 connecting the IC device 30 to the capacitor 50. The capacitors 50 are coupled to a circuit trace 70 by one of a pair of solder pads 52 and solder joints 58 and coupled to the circuit trace 70 by a solder pad 42 and a solder joint 48. The capacitors 50 are coupled to a via hole 80 by the other solder pad 58 and a circuit trace 59. This arrangement places the two capacitors 50 in series with the signal line and connected to ground through a plated through-hole via 80. This conventional surface mount approach requires use of valuable surface real estate. Further, the requirement for solder joints reduces reliability and increases costs of fabrication.
Accordingly, the present inventors desired to provide dielectric compositions and films for use in capacitor formation in electronic components that have desirable electrical and physical properties, such as high dielectric withstanding voltage and low leakage current. These dielectric compositions and films are especially useful when they are placed in close proximity to semiconductor devices (chips, integrated circuits) to deliver the charge to the semiconductor fast, with minimal delay due to loop inductance, to enable fast signal rise time, and to dampen semiconductor switching noise. The present invention provides such compositions, films, devices and methods of making such devices.